Pickering Interfaces, June 22 to 24 , Hall 1, Booth 1969 Pickering Interfaces has continued to regularly release new products in both the LXI and the PXI platforms tackling the problems faced by users in the Automotive industry. For the
Automotive Expo show in Stuttgart (D) in June they are exhibiting amongst others the following solutions/products on booth 1969, Hall 1:
BIRST Modules (Built-In Relay Self Test) 
Verification and diagnosis of complex switching operation in a test system has always been an issue, especially in the PXI platform. For this reason, Pickering Interfaces has developed a new, first range of modules introducing built in self-test to selected models of their PXI switching modules. This feature is called BIRST™, or Built In Relay Self Test.
The first range of modules with built in self test have been released and include:
- 40-560A BRIC™ 150 Volt, 0.5 Amp, 1 Pole Matrix Relay Family
- 50-561A BRIC™ 150 Volt, 0.5 Amp, 1 Pole, 1 Pole Screened, or 2 Pole Relay Matrix Family
- 40-562A BRIC™ 150 Volt, 1 Amp, 1 Pole, 1 Pole Screened, or 2 Pole Relay Matrix Family
plus 7 other modules.
The BIRST tool allows the user to very easily check system switching operation on command. BIRST will identify any relay failures in the switch module and is capable of detecting relays with deteriorating contacts which may indicate they are in the process of failing. To conduct a test the user simply disconnects the switching module from the UUT and runs the supplied application program. No supporting test equipment is needed; the test simply runs and identifies the position of any defective or suspect relays within the module. Over time, the BIRST solution will also be applied to other Pickering Interfaces PXI modules as well as the Pickering LXI product
family, which include a range of very large matrices.
New Battery SimulatorWe have also expanded the range of our customer focused PXI instrumentation modules with the introduction of the 41-752 Battery Simulator. The 41-752 is an addition to Pickering’s family of battery simulators, which have been available for almost 4 years.
Developed in association with
DMC, a systems integrator based in Chicago (US), the 41-752 is a 6 cell battery simulator that provides up to 300mA of current from each cell. The output voltage from each cell is fully adjustable up to 7V and each cell includes its own sense lines to improve regulation performance. Each cell can be configured to operate as a current sink in a battery charging circuit of up to 100mA. Cells and modules can be series connected to emulate the battery stacks being used in new generation electric vehicles. More than 100 cells can stacked in series in a single PXI or Modular LXI Chassis to allow the testing of battery management charging systems. The independently controlled channels allow the cells to be set to different output voltages to simulate different charge and capacity states. A safety interlock system can be used to ensure that voltage generation is inhibited when the cables are disconnected from the front panel. Outputs are made available on high voltage D Type connectors permitting the generation of voltages of up to 750V.
Fault Insertion Modules and ChassisPickering Interfaces have a number of PXI modules specifically designed to support fault simulation applications.
Fault simulation is widely used in the process of testing controllers that are required to respond to sensor readings. These include engine management systems, transmission controllers and suspension systems. These systems are often safety critical, so it is essential to check their response to common sensor errors - such as short circuits, open circuits and damaged sensors -
to ensure they do not cause unwanted reaction by the control system. A critical example might include the inadvertent shut down of an engine in response to a single sensor failure. Using Pickering Interfaces range of PXI fault insertion products users can develop automated methods of testing controllers, allowing more thorough and reproducible testing to be performed at the design and upgrade phase of controller development.
The 60-103 is fully compliant with the LXI Class C specification and supports Pickering Interfaces 3U PXI switching modules. Each module is supported as though it is an LXI compliant device, complete with a driverless soft front panel that provides control of the module functions. The 60-103 supports up to 18 off 3U modules and is equivalent to a 19 slot PXI chassis. The chassis allows the large number of 3U PXI modules from Pickering Interfaces to be installed and controlled through a standardized Ethernet interface. The chassis is supplied with a built-in generic IVI driver to control the PXI modules in accordance with the LXI specification,
but can also be controlled through a kernel driver.
